A few years ago we hosted a scotch night, the idea being that every couple brought along a bottle of scotch and we would sample each one during the evening. At some point in the lead up to that night, Jim and I decided that if we hosted a scotch night, we needed to serve Scottish food. I racked my brain to think of something Scottish to have for dessert. All that came to mind was the sickly sweet deep-fried Mars bar.

Thankfully, while putting the menu together I learned that the Scots have a sweet called ‘millionaire’s slice’, otherwise known as good old chocolate caramel slice. Well, it does make a wonderful dessert when served with lashings of double cream and a light sprinkle of icing sugar…not to mention being a hit at any kind of baking fundraiser.

It does take a while to make because each layer needs to set before the next layer is added. And both the caramel and the chocolate need constant attention so they don’t burn. But it’s worth the effort!

Biscuit base (option 1)
125g plain sweet biscuits (like Nice or Scotch Fingers)
80g unsalted butter, melted
2 tbs desiccated coconut (that’s an Australian variation)

Gluten-free base (option 2)
1½ cups almond meal
1½ cups coconut
1½ tbs caster sugar
185g butter

Caramel layer
400g tin condensed milk
125g butter
⅓ cup caster sugar
⅓ cup golden syrup

Chocolate layer
250g good quality chocolate (I use Green & Black’s 70% dark)
1 tbs vegetable oil

Grease a 30cm x 20cm baking tin (at least 2cm deep) with oil or butter.

For the biscuit base:

Using a food processor, crush the biscuits until they are fine crumbs. Empty into a mixing bowl and stir through the coconut and melted butter until well combined.

For the gluten-free base:

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat and add the sugar. Allow to bubble gently, stirring regularly, until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is lightly golden. Add the coconut and almond meal and stir to combine. Continuing stirring and allow the mixture to heat through.

Press your mixture firmly and evenly into the baking tin to create a smooth base. Pop the tray into the fridge to set while making the caramel.

In a small saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, golden syrup and condensed milk. Stir over a low heat for about 10 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Then increase the heat slightly so that the caramel simmers very gently for 3–4 minutes, stirring regularly until it is glossy and has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Pour over the biscuit base aiming for a smooth, even surface. Put in the fridge to set.

Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bain Marie with the vegetable oil. Stir until the chocolate has melted and is smooth. Spread the chocolate evenly over the caramel and place in the fridge to partially set. Just before the chocolate starts to firm, score it with a sharp knife to mark out your slices. If you leave the chocolate to set completely before doing this, it will crack and break unevenly when you try to cut it.